POLICY REPORT
Development and Building

TO:

Planning and Environment Committee

FROM:

Director of Current Planning

SUBJECT:

Special Review Process for Higher Buildings in the Downtown

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

On April 22, 1997, Council adopted a General Policy for Higher Buildings (see Appendix "A" for more details) which included provisions for:

· considering buildings up to 600 feet on identified sites in the Central Business District;
· requiring that the buildings should not exceed the height limits of the Council-approved view corridors;

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· requiring that the buildings exhibit the highest order of architectural excellence; and
· requiring that the buildings be the subject of a special review process, including review by staff and the Urban Design Panel and approval by the Development Permit Board with advice from a Higher Buildings Advisory Panel consisting of respected community leaders, notable design experts, and City Council.

On February 21, 2002, Council approved the following composition of the Higher Buildings Advisory Panel:

· four renowned architects or urban designers who are members of their respective institutes in their home communities (with at least one who is a member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia);
· one member nominated by the Downtown Vancouver Association;
· one community representative from Vancouver at large; and
· the chair of the Urban Design Panel.

PURPOSE

This report recommends the appointment of four additional architects to the Urban Design Panel for the purpose of reviewing two buildings proposed in downtown Vancouver that significantly exceed existing height limits.

BACKGROUND

In 1997, the Downtown Vancouver Skyline Study concluded that Vancouver's skyline would benefit from the addition of a handful of buildings exceeding current height limits to add visual interest to Vancouver's skyline. Council resolved that some higher buildings, exceeding current heights limits, could be considered in the Central Business District, north of Robson Street between Howe and Bute Streets. Endorsing the conclusions of the study, Council also resolved that in no case would a building penetrate the view protection height limits protecting 19 public views from Vancouver's bridges, streets and waterfront walkway or 600 feet (whichever is less). This ensures an appropriate balance between Vancouver's spectacular setting and its downtown skyline.

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The 1997 study noted that the opportunities for buildings significantly exceeding existing permitted heights were limited. There were a total of five sites where buildings exceeding the 450 foot height limit are possible and two sites in the northwest corner of the Central Business District where heights up to 400 feet (exceeding the 300 foot limit) could be considered. The addition of a handful of new "signature" buildings was viewed as a significant opportunity for Vancouver to enhance its skyline. Six years later, five of the seven sites remain development sites. Earlier this year, Council approved a rezoning adjacent to the Hotel Georgia permitting a 50 storey,162 m high (531 feet) building on one of these sites.

All major developments proposed in the downtown and other areas of the city are subject to peer review by the Urban Design Panel. Its members include professional architects, landscape architects, professional engineers and a representative from the development industry and from the Vancouver City Planning Commission. The Architectural Institute of British Columbia puts forward nominees for the architects sitting on the Urban Design Panel.

Council's General Policy for Higher Buildings called for a Higher Buildings Advisory Panel which was envisaged as ensuring that buildings which emerge as the most prominent buildings in our skyline be of an architectural quality equal to the best architecture elsewhere in the world. With this intent, Council policy indicates architectural designers who are renowned in skyscraper design be invited to participate in the review. Two of these designers would be drawn from the local architectural community. Furthermore, two members of the Review Panel would be from outside the British Columbia architectural community membership.

Currently, we have in hand development applications for two sites identified in Council's General Policy for Higher Buildings - a 183 m (600 foot) high hotel and residential proposal for 1120 West Georgia Street at Thurlow Street and a 122 m (400 foot) high hotel and residential proposal for 550 Bute Street at Melville Street. Staff expect no more than one or two more developments will come forward in the future for consideration under this policy.

DISCUSSION

Proposed Revisions to the Review Process

In gearing up for this review, staff have had discussions with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC). Staff agree with their proposal that the design review be streamlined by eliminating the need for two design review bodies. We also agree with AIBC that this can be achieved by adding four architects to the existing Urban Design Panel who have special expertise and experience in the design of high rise residential and mixed-use

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buildings, with at least two coming from anywhere in the world. They will be short term appointees whose appointment will lapse once the Design Panel review for the two current applications has been completed. Although it was envisaged that two of the members involved in the Higher Buildings Review Panel would be from the community-at-large, this input can also be obtained at the Development Permit Board from the community appointees to the Advisory Panel to the Development Permit Board which includes four members of the general public.

It is recommended that the General Policy for Higher Buildings be amended by deleting the last clause of the policy and replacing it with:

- the building should be the subject of an enhanced review process which includes, in addition to the current review requirements (which includes review by staff and the Urban Design Panel and approval by the Development Permit Board) a special consideration of architectural excellence by the addition to the Urban Design Panel of two architects from the British Columbia architectural community and two out-of-province architects, all of world stature who have special expertise and experience in the field of high rise building design and the building should be approved by Council.

In discussions with the AIBC, it was also agreed that a mini-speaker series on skyscrapers could be initiated involving local architects, and those from outside the province who are invited to join the Urban Design Panel. It can be jointly coordinated by the AIBC, the City and other sponsors during the same time frame as the Urban Design Panel review of the proposal.

Appointment of Architects to the Urban Design Panel

The Architectural Institute of British Columbia has recommended four architects as temporary appointees to the Urban Design Panel. Staff have contacted these architects and confirmed the availability of Adrian Smith, Ken Yeang, Richard Henriquez and James Hancock for the Urban Design Panel review of the proposed buildings.

Ken Yeang, is an internationally acclaimed architect who has designed many high rise residential buildings. He is particularly well versed in environmentally, sustainable architecture.

Adrian Smith, based in Chicago with Skidmore Owings and Merrill, is world renowned in high rise residential mixed use architecture.

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James Hancock and Richard Henriquez are highly regarded and are responsible for a number of prominent high rise residential buildings in Vancouver.

AIBC and staff are confident the appointment of these architects as temporary appointees will contribute to a robust and thoughtful review of the proposed buildings.

Once Council has approved the additional appointees to the Urban Design Panel, staff will proceed with making arrangements for the review. It is anticipated that the review shall occur in late spring.

CONCLUSION

In 1997 after considering the conclusions of the Downtown Skyline Study, Council resolved that buildings significantly exceeding current height limits should be subject to an additional review process to ensure that the building exhibits the highest possible architectural excellence. Supplementing the membership of the Urban Design Panel with four world renowned architects is recommended for ensuring that the two proposed buildings emerge as excellent signature buildings in the City's downtown skyline.

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General Policy for Higher Buildings

The following should be considered when reviewing proposals for higher buildings (i.e. exceeding current height limits):

· building significantly exceeding current height limits will only be permitted in the area identified in the map below;

· the highest buildings (i.e. 575-600 feet ) should be on one of downtown Vancouver's three primary streets - West Georgia, Granville and Burrard;

· the building should exhibit the highest order of architectural excellence;

· the building should achieve other community benefits such as being a recipient site for density transfers or density bonusing relating to heritage retention or the provision of significant cultural or social facilities or low cost housing;

· it should not involve the demolition of a Class "A" heritage building;

· where possible, the building should include activities and uses of community significance such as a public observation deck or other public amenity;

· the development should provide on-site open space that represents a significant addition to downtown green and plaza spaces;

· the buildings should not contribute to adverse microclimate effects;

· signage on buildings should not be located at a height which exceeds the current height limits (i.e. 300 feet or 400 feet depending on the current height zone);

· the building should be the subject of a special review process which includes, in addition to the current review requirements (which includes review by staff and the Urban Design Panel and approval by the Development Permit Board), a review assessing architectural excellence with input from a special panel of respected community leaders and notable design experts, and approval by Council;

· the building should be the subject of an enhanced review process which includes, in addition to the current review requirements (which includes review by staff and the Urban Design Panel and approval by the Development Permit Board) a special consideration of architectural excellence by the addition to the Urban Design Panel of two architects, from the British Columbia architectural community and two out-of-province architects, all of world stature who have special expertise and experience in the field of high rise building design and the building should be approved by Council

LINK TO APPENDIX A - MAP PAGE 3 OF 3

 

 

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